Susan's Summer (23 page)

I glared at her. “Terry, you don’t want to do this,” I said. “There’s no going back from attacking another fairy, especially one that isn’t a member of your court.”

“That’s funny,” she said. “Because it’s my understanding that that’s exactly what the Cheshire Queen did.”

“Yeah, well Samuel’s mother is Queen and a law unto herself,” I muttered. I stuck my hand onto the cold ice, using my Glamour to melt it away enough so that I could stand. I tottered briefly on the slippery surface, then got my balance. “Oh, wait, you fancy yourself a future queen,” I said. “But of which court?”

I knew I was baiting her, but she was trying to kill me, so she deserved it. Terry’s face contorted with rage, but instead of saying anything she flicked her wrist. The tree to my right started to crack and sway. I risked taking my eyes away from Terry to look and saw it swaying and bending under piles of ice. I gulped and tried to jump out of the way, but moving on a sheet of ice was slow going. I might as well have been trying to walk over a frozen lake without skates. Not easy.

“Not so mouthy now, are you?” Terry cried, her arms waving as she came closer to me.

“Terry,” I said. “It’s summer and I’m a Summer Fairy. Just because I haven’t used a lot of my magic yet doesn’t mean I can’t.”

“You’re accusing me of trying to get a crown?” Terry spat. “Look at you, conveniently showing up right when Seth needs a wife.”

“What makes you think Seth would want you even if I wasn’t around?” I asked, not bothering to conceal my contempt.

Terry screamed her fury and sent the tree cracking to the ground. Luckily I was far enough out of the way that it didn’t do me any damage.

“Wait, what do you mean?” I asked when the crashing tree had settled and the noise had stopped. “Needs a wife?”

Terry grinned. “Oh sure. Act like you don’t know. Why do you think he has Mae and you here when he hasn’t socialized with the Fairies in years?”

“He socializes with the locals,” I pointed out, feeling sick to my stomach. What was she talking about? Was it more of her bile or was there something else?

“Psh, he does that because he considers it his job to protect them.”

“And yet, the Supreme Council is thinking of taking away his land?”

Terry smiled. It was disgusting. “Well, sure. That’s mostly from Rout’s convincing. Once the Court comes here and sees for itself what’s happening, they’ll see reason. His poor land isn’t doing so well.” She grinned.

“Was it you or Rout who sabotaged it?” I demanded. “And was Teegan in on it?” I couldn’t stand the thought that my parents had chosen a guy for me who would do such a thing. Samuel liked him, which went a long way with me, and I liked him myself, but still. . . .

“Of course not,” Terry scoffed. “Perfect Teegan would never do such a thing.”

I felt at least a bit of relief at that.

“Anyway,” said Terry, “Arsenal is obviously in trouble. The best way to get them out of trouble is for the heir to marry, and right when the Supreme Council tells Seth as much, you show up. How perfect for you! But you see”—she came forward, stepping onto the ice with ease— “he doesn’t need you. He has me, and that’s all he needs. I’ve been here for years. I’ve been the one he’s known.”

“You’ve been the one who’s sabotaged his land,” I said. “How very kind of you.”

“Shut up,” she screamed. “It was necessary. What does he see in you anyway? You’ve walked around here like a droopy basket case for months. It’s pathetic. Holt was your COUSIN. Not your brother, or your father, not even your boyfriend. He was just a relation!”

“All right,” I said, “I’ve had enough of you,” and with that I ordered the vines, bushes, trees, and everything else around me that I could feel to grow. Fast. I watched with satisfaction as Terry’s eyes widened in surprise.

“What are you doing?” she asked frantically.

I smiled. “What I should have done a long time ago. Shutting you up. I would love to stay and keep chatting, but I have somewhere to be.”

I had now wasted so much time getting to Seth that whatever was taking place between him and Rout was probably over. I just had to hope that Gaudet hadn’t taken everything from him.

From us.

~ ~ ~

Terry gasped and struggled as vines started to wrap around her legs and snake up her arms, and she screamed when they encased her in warmth. It’s always difficult to fend off a Summer Fairy’s attack in the summer if you’re a Winter Fairy, and although Terry was strong, she was also hotheaded. It made her extra vulnerable.

“Did it ever occur to you,” I asked, “that Seth should get to choose for himself?”

As for me, maybe I wouldn’t have the option of choosing; maybe what my parents had wanted would always be the most important thing to me. But Seth did have the option, and here was Terry, trying to ruin that.

“He isn’t choosing for himself if you manipulate him into liking you,” said Terry bitterly. “It’s awful how you’ve thrown yourself at him.”

She was suddenly so helpless and despairing that I almost felt sorry for her. Almost.

She was fighting off the vines I was throwing at her, but she couldn’t get totally free of them.

“Damn you,” she yelled. “Why couldn’t you have gone after someone else?”

“I’m not going after anyone,” I yelled back.

Am I?
I wondered.

The clearing was already in chaos. Rout was fighting Seth, while several other winter Fairies busied themselves destroying the trees surrounding the two Princes.

“Well, that I can stop,” I muttered, and got to work. The Fairies, three Winter Fairies I had never seen before, looked surprised when the foliage started fighting back. When they noticed me they got angry.

“Get her!” one yelled. He was small and wide, with floppy brown hair and a pock-marked face. I moved and jumped, never letting him get close to me. Now I understood why some Fairies actually trained to keep themselves fast and strong. I wasn’t cut out for all this fighting nonsense.

But I had to help. It was who I was.

“Susan, stop it,” Seth yelled, not taking his eyes off Rout. “You’re putting yourself in danger.”

“I’m fine,” I yelled back.

I wasn’t, though. My attention kept slipping to the two men fighting in the middle of the clearing, and worry made a heavy pit in my stomach. What if something happened to Seth? I couldn’t stand the idea of him in pain. But in the end the worry only made me fight harder.

“Get away from her,” Seth yelled, sending one strong blast of Glamour at Rout. I will give this to the Winter Fairy: he was determined. Maybe more determined than smart, but still he fought on.

Then, two of the other Winter Fairies got smart and converged on either side of me, attacking me simultaneously. They circled nearer, closing their trap carefully and getting ready to send lances of ice into my sides, while I tried again and again, and failed, to dodge my way out from between them.

Just when my mind went blank with the realization that I was finished, that I had failed to help Seth, and that I was about to be in tremendous pain . . . just as my attackers both pulled back their arms to send the ice that would immobilize me, Teegan appeared, seemingly out of nowhere.

He stepped between me and the other members of his court, his face hard. “Leave her alone,” he ordered. “You are overstepping a red line.”

“Come to protect the girl, did you?” said the short, nasty one.

“She’s fighting you just fine. Doesn’t look like she needs protecting,” said Teegan, shrugging. “I would leave her alone if I were you.”

“Or what?”

“Or,” said Teegan, taking a menacing step forward, “you will have to answer to me.”

It didn’t look like any of the other Winter Fairies found that prospect remotely appealing. The two who had been attacking me backed off and the third one joined them, their heads bent low in quiet conversation. While they talked, Teegan spun on his heel and came to see if I was all right.

“Did they hurt you?” he murmured, slipping cool fingers under my chin and tilting it up. His eyes were soft pools of warmth and comfort and I found myself thinking that my parents had chosen well. But my heart was filled with lead.

“I’m fine,” I said.

“Of course you are,” he said, grinning. “You’re a Roth.” I was indeed. Through and through. I grinned back, my heart lightened by the reminder of my family.

“I don’t understand what’s going on, but Samuel said you were in danger and if I didn’t go help you he would personally hunt me down and kill me,” he said, his lips quirking up in a smile. He had believed Samuel, and it was a good thing for me that he had. “Is this because of the note?”

“Yes,” I said, glaring over at the Fairies. “It is.”

We both turned to examine the fight that was raging between the Princes. Princes don’t fight like other Fairies; their powers are stronger, deeper, and more mysterious. Watching Seth and Rout from the outside, it wasn’t easy to even understand what was going on. Seth was cloaked in a colorful globe that had slight designs of flowers on it, while Rout looked like he was halfway to frozen. They were standing close together, and I found myself grateful that neither had powers with their eyes. If they had, lives would have been lost.

“Should I help?” Teegan asked, releasing me once he was sure I was okay.

“Which one?” I asked. Teegan looked troubled. He knew that what Rout was doing was wrong, but Rout was still his Prince.

“I wish you were prince instead,” I told him. Teegan gave me a small smile but didn’t respond. I wondered if he was thinking the same thing as I was, which was that after Rout there were no heirs to the Marchell throne.

“It’s ridiculous that it’s that jackass or no one,” I muttered. Teegan gave me a startled look, then threw his head back and laughed, which drew the attention of the other three Winter Fairies.

“You switching sides there, Teegan?” one of the Winter Fairies growled. Teegan ignored him.

But the Winter Fairies had decided that they didn’t like Teegan stepping in. Without warning one spun around, and with a burst of energy he sent an icy winter blast skidding directly at me. I barely had time to register the attack before Teegan stepped in again, blocking the blast. He was about to retaliate when everything came to a standstill.

“That’s enough,” said a clear voice over the fray.

My heart sank as I realized it was Gaudet. Everyone froze. I instantly dropped my hands to my knees, out of breath from fighting.

She stepped into the clearing. Her face was placid, almost amused, like she enjoyed causing havoc. She probably did.

But Rout didn’t stop. Unfortunately, Seth did. Seth’s shirt was hopelessly torn from the battle, his abs showing through the ripped fabric as he twisted to protect himself. With one last burst of Glamour Rout sent a cascade of ice at Seth, who had just lowered the shield he had been keeping up to defend himself against the older fairy. With no protection, there was nothing between Seth and death.

Without thinking I leapt toward him. Not even Teegan was quick enough to stop me, and before I knew it I had thrown myself in front of the Winter Fairy’s attack. I heard a voice
yell something—
I thought it was Seth’s, but I didn’t stop to make sure, nor did I hear what it said before the wintery blast struck me full on the chest. I tried to gasp, but my lungs were ice, and the world fell away and I was nowhere.

~ ~ ~

When I came to I was lying on the ground. A gaggle of voices, none of which I could clearly make out, were arguing above me. I thought I saw a tanned face with dirty blond hair and two pools of blue swimming above me, but I couldn’t be sure.

“Are you all right?” It wasn’t Seth’s voice, it was Gaudet’s. “That was a stupid thing you did. Brave, but stupid. Who knew you had it in you?”

“I did,” said Seth, coming to my defense. I tried to smile, but my face hurt when I moved.

Gaudet looked at me for a moment as if to reassure herself that I was actually still in the land of the living, then got all businesslike.

“I didn’t realize that Rout was out and out crazy,” she said. “That changes some things.”

Rout tried to argue with her, but since I was lying helpless on the ground he didn’t have much of a leg to stand on.

“Can you sit up?” Seth asked me. I could see better now, and my head was only throbbing instead of jackhammering.

“Sure,” I mumbled. “No problem.” I sat up and it felt like my world had tilted several degrees. Not in a good way.

“Just breathe,” said Seth. One of his hands was pressed against my back for support while the other was holding my hand. I squeezed his fingers, hoping he wouldn’t let go.

“Who knew I would get such an immediate response to my message?” Gaudet said with satisfaction.

You did? I thought, but I didn’t dare say it out loud. Gaudet herself could be a little crazy, as I well knew. I couldn’t help but dislike this employee of the High Court. She enjoyed her power too much, and although I didn’t think she was power hungry like Rout, that didn’t mean she was a decent fairy.

“Susan,” said Gaudet, “I’m surprised you’ve stuck around.”

“Are you?” I asked. “Maybe you don’t know me as well as you think you do.”

Whatever bit of good humor Gaudet had brought to this gathering, it evaporated now. “I had forgotten that you always thought you were better than everybody else. I remember now.”

“Not everyone,” I muttered. “Just you.”

Gaudet’s lip curled in a sneer as she took a step forward. “Now’s not the time to insult me. Not with your boyfriend’s Kingdom hanging in the balance.”

I saw Seth’s eyes. I wasn’t a mind-reader, but it was pretty clear he wanted me to behave. I shrugged and kept my mouth shut.

“Has he asked you to accept his Rose yet?” Gaudet inquired. To my great surprise, I was the one she was looking at, not Terry, who had freed herself from the vines I had tied her up in and was hovering at the edge of the clearing.

“What are you talking about?” I demanded. “All we’ve done is kiss.”

“You did WHAT?” Terry nearly screamed. “I hate you!” She crossed her arms over her chest like a petulant child and pouted. “So unfair.” It took every bit of energy I had not to roll my eyes.

“So?” Gaudet asked coldly. “It doesn’t require kissing or even love to marry. You above all should know that.”

I exploded. “What does that mean?”

Gaudet smirked at me. “Like you don’t know.”

I started forward, but Seth moved to stand between me and the Supreme Council fairy, and Teegan grabbed my arm and held on. I ignored the prickle of warmth where his fingers touched my bare skin.

“Did he not explain it to you?” Gaudet asked, glancing at Seth curiously. “He should have.”

“What are you talking about?” I asked, but I had a bad feeling I already knew. Terry had started to tell me, maybe so had Samuel, but I hadn’t listened. It was something I didn’t want to hear. The sad expression on Seth’s face confirmed my worst fears.

“Look,” he started, but Rout cut him off.

“Is he married?” the Winter Fairy growled.

“No,” said Seth. “I’m not.”

‘What does that have to do with anything?” I asked. “Of course he’s not married.”

“He was told he had to restore Arsenal to some of its former glory,” Gaudet explained. “He was also told that the best and quickest way for him to do that was by getting married.”

Uh oh.

“But he isn’t married?”

“No,” she said. “He wanted to marry you.”

I stared at him, dumbstruck. I felt my body start to tremble. My legs protested the strain of holding up both my physical weight and my emotional shock. I felt like someone had punched me in the gut.

Seth started toward me, but I backed away. “Don’t touch me,” I ordered him, horrified. “So, you were just nice to me all summer because you wanted to buy a wife?” The disgust I felt I couldn’t even be described. I had thought he was kind, and it turned out he was only manipulative

“No, of course not,” said Seth, exasperated.

Rout started to laugh.

“Well, well, that’s wonderful,” the winter Prince cooed. “Pathetic, but wonderful.”

We both glared at him.

“Look,” said Gaudet, before Seth could continue apologizing, “I’m bored. This is ridiculous. Love. Ew. Anyway, I want this resolved by the end of the night.”

She started to walk away, but I didn’t let her. “You expect me to marry him by the end of the night?” I asked. The lunacy of it was more than I could bear.

“I expect some sort of update on your progress by the end of the night,” said Gaudet icily. “Don’t keep me waiting.”

This time she left before anyone else could argue. Rout was staring back and forth between us like he couldn’t decide which one of us he hated more.

“This land is mine,” he said, his gaze hard. “Just because that girl didn’t have the brains to leave when Terry tried to get her to does not change that.”

“And by trying to get to me, you mean trying to kill me?” I said.

“Say it however you like,” said Rout, his eyes snapping with his barely controlled fury. I hadn’t realized until that moment how much he hated all of us
—
everyone who stood in the way of his gaining more land and with it, more power.

“Thanks,” I said, as sweetly as I could. “I think I will.”

Rout’s eyes raked us and he reached his hand back as if he was going to attack again, but Teegan rushed over to him. “Enough,” my friend said. “Let’s go.”

Rout looked ready to argue, but the other Winter Fairies came over as well. At first I thought they were going to attack Teegan like they had attacked me, but instead they helped him contain Rout’s fury. Seeing how totally out of control and dangerous Rout had become had brought them to their senses.

I didn’t care. My body ached from stepping in front of Rout’s blast, and my heart ached from what Seth had done to me all summer.

I just wanted to go home.

~ ~ ~

When I got back to the house, Katie and Mae were waiting anxiously for us on the front steps. I felt bad coming home without Seth, because the look of pure terror on Katie’s face tore at my heart.

“He’s fine,” I called out, easing her worry a little. “He’ll be fine.”

She raced down the steps. “Then where is he?”